Leer conveyer and driving mechanism



june 26, l928 3,674,794

K. E. PEILER LEER CONVEYER AND DRIVING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 12, 1927 2Sheets-Sheet l "Nm n@ :M ma

June 26, i928. L674Z94 K. E. PEILER LEER CONVEYER AND DRIVING MECHANISMFiled Feb. 12, 1927 2 sheets-sheet 2 NNN *Patented inne 26, i928.

NETE@ STATS PATENT @FFHQCG KARL E. PEILER, OF WEST HARTFORD,CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO HARTFORD-EM- PIRE COMPANY, OF HARTFORD,CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

LEER CONVEYER AND DRIVING MECHANISM.

Application led February 12, 1927. Serial No. 167,659.

This invention relates to apparatus for annealing glassware, and it has.particular relation to leersl of the type embodying a tunnel throughwhich ware is transported by an endless conveyer of woven wire fabricand in which the ware is subjected to suitable temperature environmentsin order'to -irst relieve stresses and strains existing therein and thento cool the ware at a rate at which additional strains .will'notdevelop. Such an apparatus is disclosed in the Mulholland Patent No.1,560,481 of the Hartford-Empire Company, dated November 3, 1925.

Tn glass annealing leers embodying an endless belt conveyer which iscomposed of woven wire fabric arranged in alternate sections of rightand left-hand. Wound wire helixes and which is driven by a drivingmechanism such as that disclosed in the patent to Ingle No. 1,583,046,whichincludes a roller of relatively small diameter over which theware-bearing strand of the conveyer initially passes at the exit end ofthe tunnel, the helically wound wires which compose the mesh of theconveyer, exert a decided screw action in the direction of theirconvolutions as they twist relative to each other in adapting themselvesto the curve of the roller at the line of tangency of the plane of theware bearing strand of the conveyer andA the drum. This is by reason ofthe fact that as soon as one of the helixes rictionally engages thedrum, its lateral position becomes fixed, but as it turns in taking thecurve of the drum, it exerts -a screw'action on the next succeedinghelix and moves it laterally on its support to a position in which itwill follow onto the drum slightly oiset with respect to the precedinghelix. This offset position of the succeeding helix will also becomefixed as soon as it engages the drum and will, in turn, exert a similarscrew action on the next succeeding helix with the result that thewarebearing strand of the conveyer ^will creep r laterally on itssupport a distance in proportion to the number of helixes of the samepitch passing onto the drum. This screw action of the helixes of thebelt increases as the radius ot' the roller decreases, with theIl resultthat with a small drum or roller there -is an increased tendency forlthe conveyer to creep laterally during the operation of the leer andto'drag against a side of the tunnel or conveyer guide and to vbecomedamaged through Contact therewith.

One of the objects of the present invention is to avoid the diflicultiesabove mentioned by providing a driving mechanism for a conveyer 'of thetype described, which includes a drum arranged at the exit of the tunneland over which the ware-bearing strand of the conveyer initially passesat the completion of its active travel, this drum having a radiussuiiiciently great to prevent the turning or twisting movement of thespirals of onev section relative to each other, from causing theconveyer-s to creep laterally in one direction, a distance greater thanthe difference between the width ot the conveyer and its support beforethe oppositely wound helixes of the next succeeding section, in passingupon the drum, causes the conveyer to creep laterally in theoppositedirection.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the followingdescription and appended claims.

In the accompanying dra-wings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic vertical longitudinal sectional view of aleer constructed "according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the conveyer driving mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic vertical longitudinal sectionalview through thedriving drum and the binding roller;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the conveyer and .driving roll and illustratesthe relation between the width of the conveyer, the width and diameterof the driving roll, and the width of the supporting rolls-and that ofthe tunnel, and also the length 'of the sections o'f the conveyer;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in Fig. 4 andillustrates the relation between the diameter of the driving roll andthe Widthof the sections of the conveyer, and also the position-of thegripping rol-l relative to the point ot' tangency between the warebearing strand of the conveyer and the driving roll;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view onan en-` larged scale showing the pitch ofthe interconnected helixes of'ad'jacent sections of the isdiagrammatically' illustrated in Figure l as comprising a sectionaltunnel A; a fire box B, located beneath the forward or warereceiving endof the tunnel; a plurality of heating flues C communicating with thefire box and extending longitudinally beneath the tunnel; a plurality ofcooling flues D, extending longitudinally above the tunnel; adraft-producing device E, specifically a suction fan, located at theexit end of the tunnel and communicating with both the heating flues andthe cooling flues; a ware-sorting table lt", located at the, exit end ofthe tunnel; an endless conveyer G, of openworlr or wire mesh fabric, theware-bearing strand.

of which traverses the tunnel and the sorting table F, and the idlestrand of which returns to the exit end of the tunnel beneath the leer;and a conveyer driving mechanisrn 'llhe conveyer 'driving mechanism H,which is the subject of the present invention, is mounted in a. frame70, which also constitutes a support for the frame 7l of the sortingtable ll?. rlFhe conveyer G, as it emerges from the tunnel, traversesthe .table F Where it is supported by a plurality of spaced rollers 72.Upon reaching the end of the sorting table, the conveyer first passesovera driving drum. 73 which has a relatively great radius and which isjournaled in bearings 74 in the frame 70, and thence upwardly and arounda binding roller 75 which is journaled at its ends in slide boxes 76,mounted in ways 77. 'llhedrum 73 and the roller 7 5 are provided withresilient antislipping coverings 78 and 79 respectively, of rubber orthe like, for yielding engagement with the texture of the fabric of theconveyer. The roller 75- is urged toward the drum 73 by means of jackscrews 80, which are threaded in the ways 77 and which bear against theslide boxes 76, thus securely gripping the conveyer between the` drumand the roller (Fig. 3). The roller 75 is arranged so that it maintainsthe conveyer in engagement with a major portion of the periphery of thedrum 7 3, thus materially increasing the area of contact between theconveyer and the drum and the degree of 'friction therebetween.

After passingA over the` roller 7 5 the conveyer passes forwardly andbeneathU an idle roller 81, and thence upwardly and rearwardly overa'roller 82. After leaving lthe roller 82, the conveyer belt G passesbeneath the leer tunnehl where it is supported at intervals by rollers83 'which are mounted on the pedestals which support the leer tunnel.

The drum 73 and the binding roller 7 5 are rotated by a sprocket wheel84, which is driven in any preferred manner. rlhe sprocket wheel 84 ismounted on a shaft 85 which carries a worm 86 meshing with a worm wheel87 carried by a shaft 88. A

rentree pinion 89 is also fixed to the shaft 88 and meshes with a gearwheel 91 mounted on a shaft 92,- A pinion 93 is also keyed to the shaft92 and meshes with a gear wheel 94 fixed to the drum 73. The gear wheel94 alsov meshes with a gear wheel 95 fixed to the roller 75, wherebyboth the drum and the roller are driven at the same peripheral speed.

The conveyer comprises a series of sections 96 and 97 connected bystraight wires 98. Each of the sections is composed of interconnectedwire helixes, the helixes of adjacent sections being wound in oppositedirections (Figs. fl and.7 6). lfrom an inspection of Figs. 4, 5 and 7,it will be observed that the length of the sections bears such arelation to that portion of the surfaceof the drum, with which theconveyer is in con' tact, that both a right and a left-hand wovensection is always in Contact with the drum. Also, by reference to thefigures mentioned,

u it will be noted that the width of the conveyer bears such a relationto that of the support, namely, the bottom of the tunnel A and therollers 72, and the length of the drums 73 that one section of theconveyer passing on to the drum will not cause the conveyer to creeplaterally an excessive distance beforeJ the next succeeding andoppositely woven section engages the drum and causes thel conveyer tocreep laterally in the opposite direction. llt will be understood thatthe pitch of the helixes is such that excess creeping in one directionwill not occur before the next succeeding section counteracts thisaction.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that a very rugged and positivedriving mechanism is provided for a conveyer of the woven Wire type andone that will de crease the amount of turning or corkscrew movement ofthe helically wound wires of which the conveyer is composed, thusmaterially decreasing the tendency for the conveyer to creep laterallyas it passes upon the driving drum.

rlhe invention may be modified in construction and arrangement, withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appendedclaims.

ll claim as my invention:

1. Apparatus `for annealing glassware, comprising a tunnel, a laterallyand longitudinally flexible endless conveyer for transporting articlesof glassware through said tunnel, said conveyer having an active orware-bearing strand extending through said tunnel and also having anidle strand returning to the entrance endoof said tunnel, said conveyercomprising alternately arranged sect-ions of right and left-hand woundinterconnected wire helixes, a drum which said conveyer initially andfrictionally engages at the termination of its active or llltl Leraresware-bearing travel, with a resulting tendency for the successivehelically wound wires of each section to be led thereonto laterallyoffset relative to each other by the twisting or corkscrew action ofsaid wires in conforming to the curvature of said drum, the said drumhaving a radius suiiciently great to prevent such relative twisting orcorkscrew action from causing the section engaging said drum to creeplaterally thereon an excessive degree in one," direction before theoppositely wound helical wires of the next succeding section in passingupon said drum, cause said conveyer to creep laterally in the oppositedirection.

2. Apparatus for annealing glassware, comprising a tunnel, a laterallyand longitudinally flexible endless conveyer for transporting articlesof glassware through said tunnel, said conveyer having a width less thanthat of said tunnel and consisting of alternately arranged sections ofright and left-hand wound interconnected wire helixes, a driving drum'disposed adjacent to the exit end of said tunnel and which said conveyerinitially and frictionally engages at the termination of its active orware-bearing travel, with a resulting tendency itor the successivehelically wound wires of each section to creep laterally by a relativetwisting or screwing action in conforming to the curvature ot' Saiddrum, the said drum having a radius suliiciently great to prevent suchrelative twisting action from causing said conveyer to creep laterallyin said tunnel an excessive degree in one di'rectionbefore theoppositely wound helical wires or" the next succeeding section, inpassing onto said drinn, cause said conveyer to creep laterally in theopposite direction.

3. Apparatus iter annealin glassware, comprising a tunnel, a laterali!and longitudinally flexible endless conveyer for transporting articlesof glassware through said tunnel, said conveyer having an active orware-bearing strand extending through said tunnel and also having anidle strand returning to the entrance end ot' said tunnel, said conveyercomprising alternately arranged sections ot' rightl and left-hand woundinterconnected wire helixes, Aa drum which said conveyer initially andrictionally engages at the termination, of its active or ware-bearingtravel, with a resulting tendency for the successive lielically woundwires of each section to be led thereonto laterally o'setrelative toeach other by the twisting or corkscrew action of said wires inconforming to the curvature of said drum, the said drum having a-radiussuiciently great to preventsuch relative twisting or corkscrew actionfrom causingthe section engaging said drum to creep laterally thereon anexcessive degree in one direction before the oppositely wound helicalwires of the next succeeding section in passing upon said drum causesaid conveyer to creep laterally in the opposite direction, and a rollerasso- `ciated with said drum for gripping the conveyer therebetween,whereby the ware-bear ing strand of said conveyer is maintained undertension and the idle strand thereotl relatively slack.

4. Apparatus for annealing glassware, comprising a tunnel, a laterallyand longitudinally lexible endless conveyer for transporting articlesotA glassware through said tunnel, said conveyer having an active orware-bearing strand extending through said tunnel and also having anidle strand i'eturning to the entrance end of said tunnel, said conveyercomprising alternately arranged sections ot right and left-hand woundinterconnected wire helixes, a drum which said conveyer initially andfrictionally engages at the termination of its active Aor ware-bearingtravel, with a resulting tendency for the successive helically woundwires of each section to be led thereonto laterally otl'set relative toeach other by the twisting or corkscrew action of said wires inconforming to the curvature of said drinn, the said drum having a radiussuiiiciently great to prevent such relative twisting or corkscrew actionfrom causing the section engaging said drum to creep laterally thereonane-excessive degree in one direction before the oppositely woundhelical wires ot' the next succeeding section in passing upon said drum,cause said conveyer to creep laterally in the opposite direction, and aroller for maintaining said conveyer in contact with said drinnthroughout a major porti-on of the periphery thereof.

5. Apparatus for annealing glassware, comprising a tunnel; a laterallyand longitudinally flexible endless conveyer for transporting articlesof glassware through said tunnel, said conveyer having an active orware-bearing strand extending through said tunnel and also having anidle or return strand, said conveyer comprising alternately arrangedsections of right and left-hand wound interconnected wire helixes,;means t'or providing a support for the ware-bearing strand ot' saidconveyer throughout the entire width thereof and over which theware-bearing strand of said conveyer passes,

said support having a width in excess of that of said conveyer; and adrum which said conveyer initially and rictionally engages at thetermination of its active or Ware-bearing travel, with a resultingtendency for the successive helically wound wires of each section tocreep laterally by a relative twisting or corkscrew action in conformingto .the curvature of said drum, the said drum having a'radiussufficiently great to prevent such relative twisting or corkscrew actionfrom causing the section engaging said drum to creep laterally adistance greater `'than the difference between the width of said supportand that of said conveyer, before the oppositely wound helical wires ofthe next succeeding section, in passing upon said drum, cause saidcoiiveyer to creep laterally in the opposite direction,

6. Aapparatus for annealing glassware, comprising a tunnel; a laterallyand longitudinally flexible endless conveyor for transporting articlesof glassware through said tunnel, said conveyer having an active orware-v bearing strand extending through said tunnel and also having anidle or return strand, said conveyor comprising alternately arrangedsections ofv right and left-hand wound interconnected wire helixes;means for providing a support for said conveyer throughout the entirewidth thereof and over which the ware-bearing strand of said conveyerpasses, said support lia-ving a width in excess of that of saidconveyer; and a drum which said conveyer initially andv frictionallyengages at the termination of its active or ware-bearing travel, with aresulting tendency for 'the successive helically wound wires of eachsection to creep'laterally by a relative twisting or corkscrew action inconforming to the curvature of said drum, the

said drum having a radius sufliciently great' to prevent such relativetwisting or corkscrew action from causing the section engaging said drumto creep laterally a distance greater than one-half the dierence betweenthe Width of said support and that of said conveyer, before theoppositely wound helical wires of the next succeeding section, inpassing-upon said drum, cause said conveyer to creep laterally in theopposite direction.

7. Apparatus for annealing glassware, comprising a tunnel; a laterallyand longitudinally flexible endless conveyer for transporting articlesof glassware through said tunnel, said conveyer having an active orware-bearing strand extending through said tunnel and also having anidle or return strand, said conveyer comprising alternately arrangedsections of right and left-hand wound interconnected wire helixes; meansfor providing a support for said conveyer throughout the entire widththereof and over which the ware-bearing .strand of said conveye-rpasses, said support having a width in excess of that of said conveyer;and a. drum which said conveyer initially and frictionally engages atthe termination of its active or ware-bearing travel, with a resultingtendency for the successive lielically wound wires of each section tocreep laterally by a relative twisting or corkscrew action in conformingto the curvature of said drum, the said drum having a radiussufliciently great to prevent such relative twisting or corkscrew actionfrom causing the section engaging said drum to creep laterallyexcessively nere-,ree

in one direction before the oppositely wound helical wires of the nextsucceeding section, in passing upon said drum, cause Said conveyer tocreep laterally in the opposite direction. i

8. Apparatus for annealing glassware, comprising a tunnel; a laterallyand longitudinally flexible endless conveyer for transporting articlesof glassware through said tunnel, said conveyer having an active orware-bearing strand extending through said tunnel and also having anidle or return strand, said conveyer comprising alternately arrangedsections of right and left-.hand wound interconnected wire lielixes;means for providing a support for said conveyer throughout the entirewidth thereof and over which the' ware-bearing strand of said conveyerpasses, said support having a width in excess of that of said conveyer;and a drum which said conveyer initially and frictionally engages at thetermination of its active or ware-bearing travel, with a resultingtendency for the successive helically wound wires of each section tocreep laterally by a relative twisting or corkscrew action in conformingto the curvature of said drum, the said drum having a peripherysudiciently great rin comparison to tlie length of said sections toprevent such relative twisting or corkscrew action from causing thesection engaging said drum to creep laterally a dis'- taiice greaterthan the difference between the width of said support and that of saidconveyer, before the oppositely wound heli-cal wires of the nextsucceeding section, inpassing upon said drum, cause said conveyer tocreep laterally in the opposite direction.

9. Apparatus for annealing glassware, coinprising a tunnel; a laterallyand longitudinally flexible endless conveyer for trapsporting articlesof glassware through said tunnel, said conveyer having an active orware-bearing strand extending through said tunnel and also having anidle or return strand, said conveyer comprising alternately arrangedsections of right and left-hand wound interconnected wire helixes; meansfor providing a support for said conveyer throughout the entire widththereof and over which the ware-bearing strand of said conveyer passes,said support having a width in excess of that of said conveyer; and adrum which said conveyer initially and frictionally engages at thetermination of its active or ware-bearing travel, with a resultingtendency for the successive helically wound wires of each section tocreep laterv ally by a relative twisting or corkscrew action inconforming to the curvature of said drum, the said drum having a radiussuivciently great in comparison to the pitch of said helically woundwires to prevent such relative twisting or corkscrew action from causingthe section engaging said drum to suiiiciently great to prevent suchrelativew creep laterally a distance greater than the difference betweenthe width of said support and that of said conveyer, before theoppositely wound helical wires of the next succeeding section, inpassing upon-.said drum, cause said conveyer to creep laterally intheopposite direction;

10. Apparatus for annealing glassware, comprising a tunnel; a laterallyand longitudinally exible endless conveyer for transporting articles ofglassware through said tunnel, said conveyer having an active orware-bearing strand extending through said tunnel and also having anidle or return strand, said conveyer comprising alternately arrangedsections of right and left-hand "wound interconnected wire helixes;means for providing a support ,for said conveyer throughout the entirewidth thereof and upon which the ware-bearing strand of said conveyer isslidably mounted, said support having a width in excess 'of that of saidcon` veyer; and a drum which said conveyer initially and frictionallyengages at the termination of its active or ware-bearing travel, with aresulting tendency for the successive helically wound wires of eachsection to creep laterally by a relative twisting or corkscrew action 1nconforming to the curvature of, said drum, the said drum having a radiustwisting or corkscrew action from causing the section engaglng said drumto creep laterally a distance greater than the dierence t between thewidth of said support and that of said conveyer, before the oppositelywound helical wires of the next succeeding section, in passing upon saiddrum, cause -tudinally flexible endless transporting articles ofglassware through said conveyer to creep laterally in the oppositedirection.

11. Apparatus for annealing glassware, comprising a tunnel, a laterallyand longiconveyer for said tunnel, said conveyer having an active yorware-bearing strand extending through said tunnel land also having anidle strand returning to the entrance end of said tunnel, said conveyercomprising alternately arranged sections of right and left-hand woundinterconnected vwire helixes, a drum which said conveyer initially andfriction-' ally engages at the termination of its active or ware-bearingtravel, with a resulting tendency for the successive helically woundwires of each section to be led there- 'onto laterally offset relativeto each other by the twisting or corkscrew action of said wires inconforming to the curvature of said drum, the said drum having a radiussuciently great to prevent such relative twisting or corkscrew actionfrom causing the section engaging said drum to creep laterally thereonan excesivedegree in one direction before the oppositely wound helicalwires of the next succeeding section in passing upon said drum, causesaid conveyer to creep laterally in the opposite direction, and aroller-arranged to engage the ware supporting surface of said conveyerfor maintaining said conveyer in contact with said drum throughout amajor portion of theA

